Social Media is a digital phenomenon that has come a long way since it was invented in college dorm rooms, and other places, far from the corporate structures that house them today. What started as a way to create social networks, has evolved into a multi-faceted beast: a tool for enterprise, networking, and connectivity, all on a mobile device. The explosion of social media is still, well, an explosion. The numbers at the Pew Institute don’t lie:

Nearly two-thirds of American adults (65%) use social networking sites, up from 7% when Pew Research Center began systematically tracking social media usage in 2005.

71% of online adults use Facebook

23% of online adults use Twitter

26% use Instagram

28% use Pinterest

28% use LinkedIn

With the number of users on social media shooting up into the billions, there has to be a reason, a hook, that social media draws users, right? Well the Pew Institute found that answer as well. “67% use it to stay in touch and connect with friends.” And over 50% were cited as using it to reconnect with old friends.

So social media acts as a conduit for a basic human need: maintaining relationships with others. Social media also offers simple and unique interactivity as well: “sharing,” “liking,” and “retweets” are just a few of the tools that allow people to easily collaborate on their social experience. A user can send a video to a friend, said friend can “like” it, then another friend can retweet it to incentivize connectivity.

These ideas, digital collaboration and connectivity, are coming to Facility Management. As the millennial workforce continues to grow, the educated work force also grows. And who is more likely to use social media? Educated people of course:

So now you have a problem, or should we say an opportunity: you are a building manager of some sort, and you need an incentive for highly educated occupants to report issues, and help address facility concerns. One solution is to give the CrowdComfort software a try: it allows users to comment, agree, and connect on building issues.

As a facility manager, you are essentially a community manager as well. The building space is your haven, your place for occupants to enjoy, so make sure you’re adopting procedures that allow that community to further connect. You don’t have to make a new social network, but you have to respect the aptitude and prominence social media tools have in today’s society.

Does a socially collaborative FM platform sound like a solution for you? Check out a demo today, or learn more by subscribing to emails and following us on our social networks!

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